Push-broom-type vacuum cleaner



W. LEATHERS PUSH-BROOM-TYFE VACUUM CLEANER Aug. 6, 1940.

Filed Dec. 18, 1957 2 sheets-Sheet l Aug. 6, 1940. w. LEATHERS PUSH-BROOW-TYPE VACUUM CLEANER Filed Dec. 18, 1937 2 sheets-Sheet 2 H G w O ,0 0 go 0U o H o o 5 @T Patented Aug. 6, 1940 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 2,210,724 PUSH-BROOM-TYPE VACUUM CLEANER Ward Leathers, New York, N. Y., assignor to Quadrex Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 18, 1937, Serial No. 180,530

3 Claims. (CI. 15-16) The object of my invention is to improve the by side with a dirt-receptacle 6, and is rigidly type of vacuum-cleaner set forth in my patents, joined to the motor unit I. A die-cast spider 5 Nos. Re. 20,286; 2,073,489; 2,122,179; and 2,187,- rigidly joined to the other end of the dirt-con- 164. My type of vacuum cleaner may be briefly hector-duct 3 is rigidly joined to a cylindrical 5 described as a motor-suction-unit, a dirt-recepfilter cover 6, which in turn is rigidly joined to a' 5 tacle and up-draught dirt-laden-ai'r connectordie-cast ring i at its upper end. To this ring is duct comprising a middle section, an elongated removably clamped a filter-cap 8 rigidly joined cylindrical filter having a rigid cylindrical cover to an operator's handle 9, having a handle grip adjoining said middle section, enclosing top or Hi, hang-up ring ii, and cord hook i2. On the 10 cap for said filter section supporting an operside of the cylindrical filter-cover 6 is a switch 10 ators handle, and with all of the aforerecited I3, a supply cord 5?, and a shaker tab it projectelements rigidly joined together forming a subing from the inner filter through the rigid cover. stantially annular unit substantially co-axial The filter cover is also provided with ventilating with the motor axis. ports 2t and a collapsible handle 2!. Suitable More detailed objects of my invention consist means of holding the dirt-receptacle in place is 15 of providing a rigidifying member between the shown at 22. The motor-suction-unit has manmotor-suction-unit and the filter-unit which will ual release 25 for the blower fan casing 25 which occupy the least possible space between the dirtcarries a lower cord hook 21. The floor nozzle 2 receptacle and the up-draught dirt-laden-air is provided with yieldable wheels 38 at each end.

connector-duct, as well as an almost complete A channel of sheet-steel 35 (see Figure 4), 20 transparency through this so-called middle secfirmly joined as by rivets to a flange 36 on the tionof the machine. motor housing l at its lower end and similarly Another object is to obtain a rigid reeniorcejoined at its upper end to a flange 3? on the diement from one end to the other of the filter aidcast spider 5, provides rigidity between the motoring the light, rigid, filter-cover in stiffening the suction-unit and the spider. The front or outer 5 machine. side 38 of the connector-duct 3 is made of a bent A further object is to provide interchangeable sheet of transparent material such as cellulose filter tops wherein one may be built rigidly with acetate or Lucite. It is joined in a manner an operators handle for push-broom-type operdiagrammatically illustrated in Figure 4. The 3Q, ation on the floor, and the other be provided with spider 5 holds within. a recess a rubber gasket l!) a caster for canister-type operation on the floor. against the dirt-receptacle t is seated in an air In order to set forth my invention in undertight manner by any suitable latching meansstandable terms, I have provided this specificasuitable means being shown as springcam1evertion. to which is app drawings, of which; and handle 22. An adjusting screw ii in the bot- Figure 1 h w a i e l a n f my pushtom of the receptacle permits of adjustment of 35 broom-type machine. tension against the rubber gasket. The spider 5 Figure 2 h w a p r i l y ional lonsituis further provided with a round socket it into dinal view of machine from motor-suction-unit to which a connector-tube it within the filter is operators handle. firmly seated and rigidly attached as by rivets. 40 Figure 3 is a diagrammatic, partial plan view The spider is further provided with a groove d8 40 of machine with filter-cap removed. into which a welt sewn on the lower end of the Figure 4 is a diagrammatic representation of a filter il is impressed and held by means of the ross-s ction of he cp-dra gh dirt-laden-air outer filter-cover 6, which is joined to the s ider connector-duct. in rigid manner as by screws. The spider 5 is Figure 5 ShOWS One O the nterchangeable also provided with anchorage 56 for the handle filter tops in elevation. 2!. The rip-draught dirt-laden-air-tube 46 is Figure 6 shows the other in longitudinal cross j ined to the upper die-cast ring 7 by means of section. a bracket 5! spot welded-thereto and held firmly Figure Shows the application of (raster-top to the ring R as by screws 52 (see Figure 3). The

Canister-type ring l is provided with attaching means for 50 F ure 8 shows a hose-clamp-type attachment holding the filter 41, similar to those in the for interchangeable filter-tops. spider 5, and the filter-cover 8 may be joined A motor-suction-unit I, Figure 1;has removthereto in similar manner. Sewn to the side ably joined to it a cleaning nozzle 2. An upwalls of the filter li as at 6% may be a fabric 55 draught dirt-lademair connector-duct 3 lies side sleeve M which may surround the up-draught- 55 tube 46 in such manner that dirt and debris cannot lodge in back of it.

It is, of course, understood that with my pushbroom-type of vacuum-cleaner the dirt-laden air is carried to the top of the filter where it is obliged to make a U-turn on the inner spherical surface of the filter-cap 8, and thence pass downward through the open throat of the filter into the dirt-receptacle 4. Every available means must be used for keeping this entire passage free, smooth, and uninterrupted, otherwise the clinging character of loose pile taken from carpets will quickly obstruct the free flow of dirt. Where large wads of such nap or pile are sometimes quickly deposited in the filter-top interruption may occur, and it is highly desirable to make the filter-top 8 of transparent material, such as cellulose acetate or Lucite, and manually removable.

The top 8 may be joined to the die-cast ring I in any suitable manner as by side latches or by the hose-clamp-type of peripheral grip 55, as more fully shown in Figure 8. It is also desirable that the dirt-receptacle 4 be molded of transparent material such as those hereabove mentioned.

The filter-cap 8 may be rigidly joined to an operators handle 9 and the entire unit, Figure 5, made manually removable from the machine.

A substitute filter cap 80, Figure 6, provided with'swivel caster BI and a service cord holder 62 may be used interchangeably with the cap and. handle unit of Figure 5. The object of the interchange is to turn my push-broom-type machine into a canister-type machine for use with a cleaner hose (see Figure 7). A cleaner hose I0 is joined in swivelledmanner to a horizontal, lateral bracket with a swivelled caster 1| on each end. These casters are spaced sufflciently wide apart to keep the machine from turning over on the floor while in use. Suitable juncture is made between the caster bracket and the motor-suction-unit, preferably in a manner similar to that of the floor cleaning nozzle 2, which it displaces.

The cap 60 gives the machine a convenient length for canister-type use and permits a free rolling movement on the floor. A cord holder 62 keeps the cord from getting under the caster wheels.

A suitable means of joining the interchangeable tops to the filter-top ring I, Figure 8, is a hose-clamp-type with a. locking lever 55.

Having set forth my invention in clear and understandable terms, it is evident that the details may be altered within the limits of present-day mechanical practice without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

I claim:

1. In a vacuum cleaner having a motor-suction-unit, an upper and a lower ring-shaped spider-member disposed co-axially, a rigid hollow-member comprising an up-draught dirtladen air-duct rigidly joined to the inner sidewall of the said spider-members, one on each end and spacing them apart, a substantially cylindrical fabric filter supported on its ends by the said spiders and surrounding the said spiderand-connector-duct-structure, a second but shorter rigid member rigidly joined between the said lower spider-member and the motor-suction-unit comprising an inner wall of a second duct, said wall furnishing the major structural rigidity to the cleaner and said second duct communicating with the first duct thereby forming a continuous enclosed passage for the updraught dirt-laden air from the motor-.suction- 'tion-unit,

unit to the top of the filter, said second duct having an outer wall formed of transparent artificial resin, a dirt-receiving chamber disposed between said lower spider-member and the motorsuction-unit, side-by-side with the second said duct,'and communicating through the spider with the chamber within the filter, and a removable cap and enclosing the top side of said upper spider-member, said cap having a substantially hemi-spherical inner surface for turning the dirtladen air stream emitted from the upper end of the first mentioned air-duct through a U-turn.

2. A filtering-unit for a vacuum cleaner having an upper and a lower ring-shaped spidermember disposed -co-axially and supporting a cylindrically shaped fabric filter between them, a rigid hollow member comprising an updraught dirt-laden air-duct rigidly joined to the inner side-wall of the said spidermembers, one at each end and spacing them apart, and with the said spider-and-connector-duct-structure substantially within the said fabric filter, means of joining the said lower spider in fixed rela-, tionship to the motor-suction-unit and of joining the dirt-laden-air outlet of that unit with 25 the lower end of said air-duct forming a continuous enclosedpassage for the up-draught dirtladen air from the suction-unit to the top of the filter, an emptyable dirt-receiving chamber disposed between said lower spider-member and the suction-unit, laterally adjacent the said enclosed up-draught passage and communicating through the spider-member with the chamber within the filter, said means comprising a metallic channel forming the wall adjacent said dirt-receiving chamber, and a removable cap enclosing the top side of said upper spider-member, said cap having a substantially hemi-spherical inner surface for turning the dirt-laden air stream emitted at full motor-or cleaning-value from the upper. end of the first mentioned airduct through a full U turn inscribed from one side of the cap to the other.

3. In a. vacuum cleaner having a motor-sucan upper and lower ring-shaped spider-member disposed co-axially, a rigid hollow-member comprising an up-draught dirt laden air-duct rigidly joined to the inner sidewall of the said spider-members, one on each end and spacing them apart, a substantially cylindrical fabric filter supported on its ends by the said spiders and surrounding the said spiderand-connector-duct-structure, a second but shorter rigid member rigidly joined between the said lower spider-member and the motor-suction-unit comprising a second duct communicating with the first duct thereby forming a continuous enclosed passage for the up-draught dirt-laden air from the motor-suction-unit to the top of the filter, a dirt-receiving chamber disposed between said lower spider-member and the motor-suction-unit, side-by-side with the second said duct, and communicating through the spider with the chamber within the filter, a removable cap enclosing the top side of said upper spider-member, and having a substantially hemi-spherical inner surface for turning the',

WARD LEATHERS. 

